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A goal is a result of achievement toward which effort is directed. There are many types of goals: short term, long term, achievement, mastery, performance, work avoidance, and social. As humans we set goals everyday, whether it be "I want to finish my homework tonight" (short-term) or "I want to become a teacher" (long-term).

Achievement Goals:
  • Mastery Goals:
    • Wanting to master a new skill - to learn something new.
    • Mastery goals tend to encourage effective learning
    • students with mastery goals tend to have an understanding of the processes of learning, effort, and failure
  • Performance Goals: To present yourself competently in front of others.
    • Performance Approach:
      • Demonstrate your abilities in order to receive favorable judgement.
      • Can lead students to use a minimum amount of effort in order to perform
    • Performance Avoidance:
      • Not wanting to look bad and receive judgement
      • Tend to lead students to avoid challenges that would benefit them from learning

Work Avoidance Goals:
  • Doing the absolute minimum required
  • Happens because of low self-efficacy and/or having no value in classroom assignments

Social Goals:
  • Fulfilling the need for relatedness

Goals coincide with each other. Sometimes they work together, but other times they conflict with each other.
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Sources: Educational Psychology: Developing Learners by Jeanne Ellis Ormrod